News
Kongahage claims Channel 4 tricked him, distorted interview
Easter Sunday controversy:
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Former Ambassador to Germany, Switzerland and ex-High Commissioner in South Africa, Sarath Kongahage, yesterday (12) alleged that British television Channel 4 had tricked him into discussing political developments with the focus on the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage.
Claiming that the Channel 4 programme didn’t reflect what he had said in a two-hour interview on 22 Dec., 2022, at his Madiwela residence, the one-time UNP National List MP said that he had agreed to their request, believing the London-based ITN handled the programme.
Kongahage called a media briefing at Sanda TV of the Sri Lanka Foundation to explain his participation in the latest C4 episode, amidst repeated calls for an international investigation on the basis of accusations that Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay, serving as Minister Counsellor at the Sri Lankan Mission, in Malaysia, conspired with National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) and former LTTE cadre Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan aka Pilleyan (now a State Minister) to mount the Easter Sunday attacks.
Kongahage said that he had not realised that it was a Channel 4 programme until it was telecast.
Kongahage found fault with Opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and those who threw their weight behind unsubstantiated allegations propagated by C4. Kongahage, who held several key posts in the media field as Chairman, Rupavahini, and Director Sirasa, warned of dire consequences unless all political parties, represented in Parliament, reached consensus on post-war reconciliation process without further delay.
The ex-MP alleged that the C4 project was aimed at causing turmoil at a time the country was experiencing severe economic difficulties.
Commenting on the spate of killings and attacks during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure as the President, Kongahage said the country was paying a heavy price for the failure on the part of successive governments to punish those responsible for the assassination of Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickrematunga and the reprehensible attacks on journalists Upali Tennakoon, Keith Noyhar and Poddala Jayantha. Those responsible should be punished, regardless of their standing in the society, he said.
Kongahage strongly criticised President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for releasing Staff Sergeant Sunil Ratnayake, found guilty of killing eight Tamil civilians, in 2000, in the Jaffna peninsula. Such rash decisions contributed to the overall deterioration of Sri Lanka’s standing in the eyes of the international community, the former Ambassador said.
A specialists committee has been appointed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation adhering to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers dated 29.12.2025 for submitting appropriate recommendations analyzing the provisions of the draft bill formulation in regard to Animal Welfare.
Based on the recommendations of the said Committee, the Legal Draftsman has been instructed at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held on 18.05.2026 to prepare the final bill on the animal welfare.
Wherefore, the Legal Draftsman has formulated the draft bill and the clearance of the Attorney General has been received in the connection.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to publish the said draft bill in the
Government Gazette Notification and subsequently forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Under the legal provisions for elections in this country since 2004, it is mandatory for voters who come to mark their votes to verify their identity through a valid identity card, and it is also mandatory for all such voters to be marked with an appropriate mark using indelible ink. The dual purpose of these two functions is to prevent a voter from voting more than once in a single election.
It has been observed that having to follow two different
methods at the same time to achieve the same objective hinders the efficiency of the duties performed at the polling stations and also incurs additional costs to the government.
Therefore, it has been deemed appropriate to remove the legal provisions regarding the use of indelible ink and marking the voter with the appropriate mark from all election acts.
Accordingly, the development activities of the province, as well as national security, will benefit. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the
President to take necessary steps to remove the legal provisions
• Section 36 of the presidential Election Act, No 15 of 1981
• Section 38 of the Parliamentary Election Act, No 01 of 1981
• Section 36 of the Provincial Council Election Act, No 02 of 1988
• Section 53 A of the Local Government Elections Ordinance (262 Authority)
• Section 21 of the Referendum Act No 7 of 1981
News
Showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 24 JUNE 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 24 June 2026 by the Department of Meteorology
Several spells of showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 2.00 p.m.
Fairly strong winds about (30-40) kmph can be expectedat times over the Western slopes of the central hills, the Northern, North-central, North-western and Southern provinces and in Trincomalee district.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
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Animal Welfare Draft Bill to be Gazetted
Legal provisions on marking voters using indelible ink during elections removed
Showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
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